22 USC 7102 - Definitions

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 07, 2026

§ 7102.

Definitions

In this chapter:

(1)

Abuse or threatened abuse of law or legal process

(2)

Appropriate congressional committees

(3)

Coercion

The term “coercion” means—

(A)

threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person;

(B)

any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform an act would result in serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; or

(C)

the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

(4)

Commercial sex act

(5)

Concrete actions

The term “concrete actions” means actions that demonstrate increased efforts by the government of a country to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, including any of the following:

(A)

Enforcement actions taken.

(B)

Investigations actively underway.

(C)

Prosecutions conducted.

(D)

Convictions attained.

(E)

Training provided.

(F)

Programs and partnerships actively underway.

(G)

Efforts to prevent severe forms of trafficking, including programs to reduce the vulnerability of particularly vulnerable populations, involving survivors of trafficking in community engagement and policy making, engagement with foreign migrants, ending recruitment fees, and other such measures.

(H)

Victim services offered, including immigration services and restitution.

(I)

The amount of money the government has committed to the actions described in subparagraphs (A) through (H).

(6)

Credible information

The term “credible information” includes all of the following:

(A)

Reports by the Department of State.

(B)

Reports of other Federal agencies, including the Department of Labor’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor and List of Products Produced by Forced Labor or Indentured Child Labor.

(C)

Documentation provided by a foreign country, including—

(i)

copies of relevant laws, regulations, and policies adopted or modified; and

(ii)

an official record of enforcement actions taken, judicial proceedings, training conducted, consultations conducted, programs and partnerships launched, and services provided.

(D)

Materials developed by civil society organizations.

(E)

Information from survivors of human trafficking, vulnerable persons, and whistleblowers.

(F)

All relevant media and academic reports that, in light of reason and common sense, are worthy of belief.

(G)

Information developed by multilateral institutions.

(H)

An assessment of the impact of the actions described in subparagraphs (A) through (I) of paragraph (5) on the prevalence of human trafficking in the country.

(7)

Debt bondage

(8)

Involuntary servitude

The term “involuntary servitude” includes a condition of servitude induced by means of—

(A)

any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that, if the person did not enter into or continue in such condition, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or

(B)

the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

(9)

Minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking

(10)

Nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance

The term “nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance” means—

(A)

any assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.], other than—

(i)

assistance under chapter 4 of part II of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.] in support of programs of nongovernmental organizations that is made available for any program, project, or activity eligible for assistance under chapter 1 of part I of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.];

(ii)

assistance under chapter 8 of part I of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2291 et seq.];

(iii)

any other narcotics-related assistance under part I of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.] or under chapter 4 or 5 1

 So in original. Probably should be followed by “of”.

part II of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq., 2347 et seq.], but any such assistance provided under this clause shall be subject to the prior notification procedures applicable to reprogrammings pursuant to section 634A of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2394–1];

(iv)

disaster relief assistance, including any assistance under chapter 9 of part I of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2292 et seq.];

(v)

antiterrorism assistance under chapter 8 of part II of that Act [22 U.S.C. 2349aa et seq.];

(vi)

assistance for refugees;

(vii)

humanitarian and other development assistance in support of programs of nongovernmental organizations under chapters 1 and 10 2

 See References in Text note below.

of that Act;

(viii)

any support under subchapter II of chapter 103 of this title relating to the United States International Development Finance Corporation;

(ix)

other programs involving trade-related or humanitarian assistance; and

(B)

sales, or financing on any terms, under the Arms Export Control Act [22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.], other than sales or financing provided for narcotics-related purposes following notification in accordance with the prior notification procedures applicable to reprogrammings pursuant to section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2394–1].

(11)

Severe forms of trafficking in persons

The term “severe forms of trafficking in persons” means—

(A)

sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or

(B)

the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

(12)

Sex trafficking

(13)

State

(14)

Task Force

(15)

United States

(16)

Victim of a severe form of trafficking

(17)

Victim of trafficking

(18)

Grounds related to human trafficking

(Pub. L. 106–386, div. A, § 103, Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1469; Pub. L. 108–193, § 8(b)(1),

cite as: 22 USC 7102